Probably the first movie I saw was 'Lassie Come Home' when I was about 8 or 9 and said to my myself thats what I wanted to do. I wanted to make people cry and desire and feel emotions as a result of my performance. I also watched b-westerns and was raised in a farm with horses and pretended to be in westerns.

Did you see yourself acting in horror films?

Nope.

What was your first taste of acting?

My first taste of acting? It would be in highschool on stage titled 'Stars in their Eyes'.

How old were you?

17.

What was your first horror film?

Slaughterhouse

How did you hear about auditions for 'Slaughterhouse'?

I heard through a casting call dramalogue where the auditions were listed.

What did the director/writer Rick Roessler ask you to do for the audition?

As I recall, I did a cold reading from the script. I read for the three parts Sherrif Borden, Lester Bacon and Tom Sanford. I ended up getting the part of Tom Sanford.

Who were you up against for the part?

I have no idea. I knew the guy who got the part for the sherriff named William Houck.

What memorable experience did you have on set of shooting the film?

Apart from the blood & pig parts while I was thrown in the grinder, I enjoyed the whole shoot as everyone was nice to work with.

Now after the opening you were in a slaughterhouse as they were butchering pigs. Was that for real with the pigs?

Yeah they were real, we went to a slaughterhouse in Oregon and it was an actual working slaughterhouse so they filmed it for the opening.

How long did it take to shoot your scene in there?

We were in Oregon for one or two days. Could've been longer I dont recall. But I'm sure that it was at least a couple nights.

I saw behind the scenes of how Joe Barton's character Buddy throws your character into a meat grinder. Now Joe was a bit shorter than you were and had to pick you up. How was that choreographed with you two as it must've been a little tough to do?

No he was standing on an orange crate.

Did Joe have a hard time picking you up?

No not at all. He used to work in a farm and farm people are very strong.

Was there a scene you found difficult doing during the shooting of it?

The scene where I was talking to Bacon before I got slaughtered when I delivered the line it was a one shoot and it wasnt working. My character was supposed to be showing a dreaded concern about what was going on but I couldn't get the lines to work. I thought that certainly the director could see that my performance was  not working  and, too, I was disgusted with myself for failing to perform as needed and was stopping the scene to start over when I realized that the camera was still rolling and director did not call cut so I immediately flipped back into character and finished the scene.  It looked weird  but the director liked it. I couldn't  get a hold of the subtext in the scene and I  thought that they'd stop and redo it. I stopped being an actor for a second. I was very  uncomfortable about my performance but it worked as it appeared I was uncomfortable about Buddy being next to me.

Did you ever get hurt at all when you were going to be dropped into the grinding scene?

No not at all.

Of course it showed results of your characters guts being shredded during when you were ground up after Buddy threw you in the grinder. What was used during that scene?

Stuff the crew got at the slaughterhouse in Oregon like pig guts. The smell didn't go away after 3 days and I had to wash my clothes three times.

You really brought out alot of character during that scene as well as during the scene where you tell Don Barrett's character about selling his property. What was racing through your head during each of those scenes and what kinds of experiences did you have in the past that made you relate to this?

I was raised on a farm and had a lot of life experience. The scene itself was being filmed in a realistic area so it was easy to put myself into character. My father was always in charge at the farm he owned and other business indeavors and there were times when I had to boss people around and so I could imagine myself in the position my character was supposed to be in.

How would you describe Joe Barton and Don Barrett personalities in real life?

Both very nice and likeable. No ego showing and very down to earth people.

What cast member did you get along with the most during the shoot of the film?

Probably the real estate agent guy Lee Robinson. Usually the other actors were busy with their scenes and Lee and I had several scenes acting together.  Buddy was always busy as he was in so many scenes. Usually Lee and I were hanging out at the motel pool while others were shooting their scenes or we were waiting on the set as they set the lighting for our scenes.

Did it have a nationwide theatrical release?

I went to Washington DC to see the theatrical showing there. It was released in different segments. Not the same time nationwide but in different regions at different times. It was first premiered in San Diego for a public audience.

What did you think of the movie in general?

I thought the production values were very good. I liked the last 15 minutes or so, starting after the dance and thunder storm when the kids go to the slaughterhouse for the last time, that whole section as it was very fast, both good quality, good acting and the pace of the film was crisp.

Have you heard from Rick Roessler and what he is doing today?

Not recently. I used to be in contact with him for a few years and haven't heard from him in about 15 years. I believe he went to Russia to do some aviation filming for the military at one point. He also does photography.

Now a 'Slaughterhouse 2' was made a year later but it beared no relationship to the original one as it took place at a carnival run by an evil clown named Pigsby Malone. Were you asked to be a part of the cast in that one?

No, I never heard heard it. It wasn't my desire to do horror films. I love acting just working in films is important and so I'm not focused on any one genre. A door was left open for a sequel but it was a shame it never happened. I believe that was the intention but the movie never did well financially for a sequel to arise. Of course we were all hoping for a sequel and hoping that some how our characters could be revived. I recall imagining that my character had a twin brother who was evil and came seeking revenge.

Now you had a small role in another horror film titled 'Zombie Death House' as a gang leader named John Lazzada. What was your scenario in that film?

That was a while back too... I was a small time wannabe gangster causing this other guy trouble and he wiped me out. I was shot in the film. Nowadays they usually  show where youre hit and the blood spurting out. Anytime you see people being shot you see the blood stained clothing. The pyrotechnic guy puts a squibb under my cloths. A Squibb is an explosive wired to an electrical trigger. The explosive is covered with a blood pouch and mounted on a piece of leather or other material and all is taped to your body under your clothes. When the swith is triggered the explosive goes off busting the blood pouch and outer clothing with the result looking as if you have been shot. As I understood it was the first actual real job for the pyrotechnic guy being in charge. I had asked him if he was sure he knew what he was doing, sometimes you have to look after your own ass (remember Vic Morrow who was killed on the set, who didn't, and Bruce Lee's son. etc) Anyway, when the thing went off I thought I was really shot. It left a big welk the size of a softball so they got a real reaction from me because it hurt. It was a low budget picture so they couldn't do alot of retakes. The director John Saxon wanted to give the film extra power. (Laughs) They were guaranteed to get a reaction from the actor if they didn't pad the squibb  and  that way they wouldn't need to reshoot it. They definitly got a realistic reaction from me.

What was it like working in that film?

I only worked on it for a couple days. I spent time with John Saxon and David Marriott who played my bodyguard.

Who did you act opposite with in the film?

I was acting with David, discussing things going on the phone conversation of what was was going on and that was was cut. The scene was unnecessary. More time for the gory stuff.

I understand that this was a zombie film. What was it like?

Like I said, I was only around those two days. In another film I was ground up in a car crusher in David Carradine's movie 'Future Force'. I met his dad years ago and he was very nice and a small man which was surprising as he looks big in the films. It was amaqing how knarled and twisted his fingers were from advanced arthritis yet still he offered a hand for a hank shake. If it was painful he never showed it. A friend of mine Bill Zipp was in the scene where I died in the car crusher. The one who killed me who you would recognize from many films, Bob Tessier,  died from cancer months later. He was a very personable guy in no way as evil as many of his characters portray. I met Bill Zipp and we became friends when I had a one line role in a  film Bill wrote titled 'Order of the Eagle' and I was shot with a bow and arrow. (Laughs) I get shot quite a bit in films and I seem to be good at dying.

You were in a horror anthology as well titled 'Terrorgram' which I heard resembles to 'Tales from the Crypt' in the third chapter titled 'Veteran's Day' by playing Novotny's Father. Was he a supporting role to a lead actor in the film?

I'm not sure what that was all about. I did a  film called 'Veterans Day' for UCLA which I played Novotny's father which was the name of the character. They were doing various short projects and welded them together and then made it into a feature, I suppose. Not anytime did I give authority to them to use the work commercially. I have not seen the film.

What kinds of things did you do playing the father to the actor Michael Hartson who played your son Novotny?

It was a 5 minute scene if it was the role I that I think it was. My scene was in the kitchen talking about my two sons about 'Veterans Day'. One of my sons was in a wheelchair.

Is there a scene that viewers will remember throughout that chapter?

It was all one scene that all took place in the kitchen having dinner and having a discussion.

What was it like working with Hartson?

Everyone was professional. It was a student film when we did the scenes.

Did you find this film an enjoyable experience for you?

Yeah, every acting experience is enjoyable for me.

Was this film a direct-to-video release as by this time they sell better that way?

I don't know what they did after making it. I had nothing to do with it. This was quite a while ago probably before 'Slaughterhouse'. I thought it had nothing to do with being a horror film. It was filmed as a standard student film and that's all. If it was a horror film I didnt know about it.

Did you have fans come up to you telling you that they enjoyed you in horror films like 'Slaughterhouse', 'Zombie Death House' and 'Terrorgram'?

I've had a number of people saying Slaughterhouse is their favourite movie which surprises me and say they own it and watch it all the time.

Have you ever attended any horror conventions or appeared in horror magazines like Fangoria due to your fame in the movies?

No.

Compared to the three horror films you acted in which one did you enjoy performing in the most?

I spent more time in 'Slaughterhouse' and had a bigger role. I enjoyed doing that. It was more like a real movie than the other two with more equipment and a good locations.

Have you acted in any other horror films?

I acted in a short back in 2001 titled 'The Screaming Place' with actor Frederick Lopez that went to film festivals and there was a black and white project 'Gothic West' where I was a werewolf man in the old west.

Another film you were noted in was a low budget action film titled 'Warbirds' as you had one of the main roles named Col. Ronson. What was your role and the plot all about?

The Cia was organizing a secret air raid on Afghanastan rebels who were trying to overthrow the sheik who was an ally of the United States. The raid was secret because the government didn't think the public would accept our becoming involved. It was simpler it seemed to keep the activity secret. My character was hired by the CIA to organise the raid and to hire the pilots and then take care of situation. The raid went bad because of a hot headed pilot who wouldn'd follow orders and was shot down. I was told to organize a second raid but this time our radio contact ground man was captured and shown on TV nightly news as a prisoner which  exposed the situation. I was fired from my mission but now it was personal. My pilots and myself stole two F-16's and flew our own secret raid to aid the Sheik and hopefully rescue our ground man who was prisoner. The third time we went over and we kicked ass.

Also, you acted in live theatre. What kinds of stage shows did you star in?

I won an award for 'Harvey' , 'South West Corner' and 'Morning at Seven'. I also on award for 'Of Mice and Men'. The past three shows I was proud of since I was competing against 65 different plays that were judged that year.

You were in a band. Do you have a CD released?

No my son is in a group 'Vynyl Candy' but I am not in a band. I play guitar and sing and write songs but I am not in a group.

Do you have any upcoming acting gigs?

I have nothing lined up at the moment. I do acting on the street right now which is known as street performing, do magic and vantriliouism and ocassionaly still perform my one man show portraying Mark Twain which I've done since 1982.

If there was a film you were in that you'd like to change. What would it be?

All of them but I would especially like to change a couple scenes in 'Warbirds'. To keep filming time short and to save film 'Warbirds' was uniquely filmed. Typically a film is filmed in steps. First a whole scene is filmed uninterupted as a cover shot and then each character in turn is filmed through their own part uninteruped and finally a two shot or three shot is also filmed and so on. Not so in 'Warbirds' In most cases scenes were basically edited in the camera. Perhaps the first few words or a line would be filmed as a wide shot (cover shot) and then a character if it was a single shot would deliver whatever lines were intended to remain in the final cut but only those lines. The director would call cut and then film from the next angle whatever lines that followed the previous take and so on. Just those angles that were to be shown in the final film. There were no back up shots from other angles to use as alternatives if any performance was weak. Thus you at times were required to start in the middle of a monologue for one shot and then start at another part of the monologue for a different angle so that in the end it was to look as if the film had been filmed in the customary fashion. I never had more than one take in my  dialogue scenes. A risk that stars don't have to take. I've seen well known acadamy award winning actors require up to twenty takes to finally get a take that a director was happy with. So many more of us could be winners if we had that luxury and attention. Thus the pit falls of low budgets.

What are your ambitions?

Acting is my love. I grew up around circuses when I was young as my father worked in the circus early on and had many friends in a number of shows. Even after he left the circus we went to
 at least a dozen circuses a year as guest of the owners. We would arrive early in the morning as they were setting up the tents and then join the performers at meals in the cook tent and stay until they tore down at night. Between shows I got to hob nob with the performers and other circus people and at the times I wanted to do circuses then more than acting because I lived in a farming community back East and acting was far fetched.
One of the reasons I love working on films is that the atmosphere reminds me of the circus. Daily moving to new locations, setting up, tearing down, The drone of the generators constantly pumping out electricity at remote locations, eating meals prepared on location. The constant activity of the crew and the waiting around between performances of others. There are many similarities.
'The Greatest Show On Earth' starring Charlton Heston is one of my favorite movies because it brings back so many memories. 'Gone With The Wind' and "Song Of The South' are also high on my list. James Dean was my favorite actor and westerns are my favorite genre.
Good luck and God bless. Thanks for your interest.